8) Clive Owen
Daniel Craig was – when he was first introduced as 007 in Casino Royale – a fresher, younger Bond, a spy just starting out his career with MI6. So now that Craig’s Bond has become older and creakier (see Skyfall), why not carry on down that road with his successor? Why not keep the character as an older, more world-weary spy? Why not, at last, hire Clive Owen?
It would lend the franchise an interesting dynamic and, crucially, allow erstwhile Brosnan-replacement favorite Owen to have another crack at playing the character. Audiences are used to their stars being a little older now (hell, look at Brad Pitt (51), Tom Cruise (52), and Liam Neeson (62) regularly cleaning up at the box office), so it couldn’t hurt that much to have Owen – rejuvenated by The Knick – playing Bond at 51.
Lord knows he’s still a great fit for the part.